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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24471259">in the waiting room.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryade/pseuds/cherryade'>cherryade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>warm. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dad Evan "Buck" Buckley, Established Relationship, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:08:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>868</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24471259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherryade/pseuds/cherryade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“You’re okay, my little Superman,” he murmurs as he runs a hand down the back of his son’s sweaty head. “Just a little bit longer and we can go home, okay?” </p><p>(Christopher is sick. Eddie is tired. Buck is Buck.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>warm. [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>443</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>in the waiting room.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Christopher is crying. </p><p>Eddie holds his son to his chest as he shoots another glance at the nurses station. The nurse shakes her head, a sympathetic smile on her lips and Eddie feels like crying himself. He can feel the heat radiating off the small body in his lap through the thick sweater he had bundled him into when he made the executive decision to drive straight to the ER instead of urgent care.</p><p>“You’re okay, my little Superman,” he murmurs as he runs a hand down the back of his son’s sweaty head. “Just a little bit longer and we can go home, okay?” He can feel Chris’ hitching sobs where his face is pressed into his neck, dry because he hasn’t been able to keep anything down for the past 12 hours. Eddie presses a kiss into the top of his head and rocks him gently. Anxiety is pooling in his chest, threatening to spill over into panic. His kid is running a fever of 103, is sick out of his brain with the flu and there is absolutely nothing he can do about it.</p><p>“Eddie?” comes a voice from behind him and Eddie almost goes boneless with relief. He gathers Christopher close, turning around as Buck skids into the waiting room. He is still in his uniform, soot smudged across his forehead as he peers anxiously around the crowded room.</p><p>“Here,” Eddie calls. Buck turns, recognition sparking behind worried eyes. He hurries over and plops himself into the vacant seat beside them.</p><p>“Sorry I took so long to get here, just got your text,” he says, reaching out to run a soothing hand down Christopher’s back. The boy squirms, tilting his head to look.</p><p>“Buck,” he whispers plaintively. “Don’t feel good.” Eddie’s heart breaks as he tightens his grip around his son. Buck meets his eye. His lips are pulled into a frown, pain visible behind his gaze. He cups Christopher’s face with his hand and brushes his cheek with a thumb.</p><p>“Hey Chris,” he says. “I know you’re feeling horrible but the doctor will see you soon, okay? You just gotta be brave for a little while longer.” Chris nods as he nuzzles into Eddie, breath puffing hotly against his neck. He reaches out a hand from where he’s had them pressed against Eddie’s chest and holds on weakly to Buck’s sleeve. Buck’s expression crumples as he moves closer, angling Chris’ arm so the boy can still hold onto him without becoming uncomfortable.</p><p>Eddie closes his eyes as the heat builds behind his eyelids. Fatigue is settling deep in his bones and he’s trying desperately not to tear up. His heart is split between the thrumming worry that has been his companion for the past 48 hours and the wave of love that has just crashed over him for the man sitting pressed up against him.</p><p>He feels Buck’s eyes on him and he exhales.</p><p>“Sorry for making you come down here after a 24 hour shift,” he says, opening his eyes. Guilt is eating at him for once again taking advantage of Buck’s generous heart, but he’s exhausted. </p><p>“Don’t apologise, that’s what I’m here for,” Buck says. He slings an arm around Eddie’s shoulder, pressing a kiss to his temple. Eddie feels a bit of the anxiety recede as he slumps against him. </p><p>“Chris is so sick, Buck,” he says, voice cracking. He doesn’t need to hide, not with Buck. “And I’m so tired.”</p><p>Buck sucks in a breath and tightens his hold on Eddie. </p><p>“It’s okay to be tired, Eddie. You went straight home from a long shift to 48 hours of the flu,” he says. “Just hang in there a bit more, okay? They’ll call for him soon and then we can head over to my place and I’ll take over. You can take a nap on the couch while I take care of him.”</p><p>“But you’re tired too,” Eddie mutters. Christopher is dozing restlessly in his arms and he rubs light circles on his back in an attempt to calm him. Buck sighs.</p><p>“Hey, look at me,” he says. Eddie tilts his head so that their gazes meet. In it, he sees such fondness that Eddie can’t bear it. “I’m never too tired for you or Christopher.”</p><p>Gratitude overwhelms him as he tries valiantly to blink his tears away. He doesn’t know what he did to make Buck fall in love with him, Buck whose heart is bigger than his person can hold, and who loves so much that sometimes, Eddie can’t breathe with the force of it.</p><p>“Besides,” Buck continues, “you look like you were run over by a fire truck. We’ll look after him together once you’ve had some rest, okay?”</p><p>“Thank you,” he chokes out. He knows he’s lost the battle with his emotions, but he’s too wrung out to care. Buck tightens his grip around them. He reaches up to wipe the moisture off his cheeks, a soft smile on his face.</p><p>“Don’t cry, Eddie,” he murmurs. “You don’t ever have to thank me for looking after Christopher, or for loving you.” </p><p>Eddie gasps on an aborted sob and closes his eyes. </p><p>“I love you too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't own the sandbox, just playing in it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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